Dry Suite Wetsuit

[GMDGeek]

Ok so I know the cardinal rule that there are 2 types of divers, Ones that pee in their wetsuit and those that lie about it.

But the question posed by my father after I told him that took me back. Does the same apply for those wearing Drysuits?

[Scuba Pete]

I think a better saying for drysuits would be those that can and those that have to wear diapers.

[Vlane]

If you pee in a drysuit everyone is going to know about it after your dive. Remember a drysuit is made to keep water out and air, or anything else, in. If you're wanting to be able to pee while wearing a drysuit without taking it off look into installing a p-valve on your suit.

[WaScubaDude]

I just make sure I pee just before getting into my drysuit

[rayaa3]

I don't know how you guys can go through a dive without peeing. I don't dive dry...but 15 min after I hit the water I have to pee no matter what. In an hour I may pee 4 times. I don't even think about it anymore...if you dive with me, avoid me in the water, I create a false thermocline.

[db83]

If a dry suit keeps everything in, does it get hot in there?

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by rayaa3

I don't know how you guys can go through a dive without peeing. I don't dive dry...but 15 min after I hit the water I have to pee no matter what. In an hour I may pee 4 times. I don't even think about it anymore...if you dive with me, avoid me in the water, I create a false thermocline.

The urge does not hit you the same way in a drysuit.

You still have to go after a normal amount of time, but somehow it's not as tough in a drysuit. Something about not feeling immersed in water in quite the same way.

For long dives, however, a pee-valve is essential if you want to avoid diapers.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by db83

If a dry suit keeps everything in, does it get hot in there?

You can still get cold, but not as cold as in a wetsuit (barring some sort of leak, of course). It's pretty normal for there to be condensation inside the drysuit after a dive, however, because your body continuously gives off water in the form of sweat, etc., even when you're not really working hard, and there's nowhere for it to go.

[db83]

ahh, I see. so the air in there doesn't just continuously heat up. it'll stay rather cool with the water drawing off heat through the material?

[Scuba Pete]

Originally Posted by db83

ahh, I see. so the air in there doesn't just continuously heat up. it'll stay rather cool with the water drawing off heat through the material?

I would say the closest thing that an average diver could relate to is wearing a winter coat. You can overheat and sweat through your shirt and undergarmets but you could also be nice and toasty warm for quite a while.

Suit squeeze feels like putting on one of those yellow dishwashing gloves and putting it under the water.

A wetsuit uses water heated by your body to keep you warm. A drysuit uses air that is warmed by your body and kept inside of insulation. The problem with wetsuits is that the water can move around forcing your body to warm more water to replace the water that has left your suit, this makes you cold. Also water is a very good medium to transfer heat. This is a bad thing when you are warmer than the surronding water. The water will take your heat away in an effort to equalize tempuratures. The drysuit using air trapped inside insulation solves this problem by limiting the amount of air that has access to the colder temperature. Think of a double pane window. A drysuit acts similar to that.